Take for instance,
It was a Saturday, May the 25th to be exact, and I happened to find myself uptown.
Well it wasn't all the way uptown, more like west 55th St. (but then again anything passed 14 St. is uptown to me) and I didn't happen to find myself, I was leaving the last session of my acting class and feeling good from a job well done and ready to face the world, when I stepped outside only to be had by one of the worst downpour I had seen in a long, long time.
Spring as some may say!
Now a little back story about NYC weather.
It is very unpredictable!
I decided I couldn't wait it out and the train station was only a few blocks. I ran, in the rain, to the train station at 50th st only to find a red tape and a note saying no train will be running here today. UGH!!!!!
What the....?
Now the next train station was all the way on 42nd st, so you can imagine my dilemma. At this point my shirt was soaking wet, so now not only was I about to put on a show for passersby, but I was a few raindrops away from the flu.
As I was pondering what to do I hear a voice from nowhere,
'Is the train not running today?'
I said no and I turned to see a petite caucasian female with an umbrella. She said ' Come on, let's walk to 42nd' as she extended her umbrella over my head and we proceeded to walk. Eight blocks later and as if she was an angel, she got me to the train stop, said goodbye and walked away. We didnt keep in touch, we didn't have to. I just knew I had to pay it forward...
Nothing good every happens after 2 am, think again!
Fast forward two months later.
Now a little back story about the trains in NYC and the service after 12am. They run every 20 mins. So if you miss the train you pretty much have to wait 20 mins, and 4 of those are usually with the drunks and bombs sleeping in the train station or is up being crazy!
So there I was timing the train. I knew that if I leave my job at 2:30 am it would afforded me enough time to walk to the train station, refill my metrocard and was still on time for the 2:37 (L) train.
Wrong!
As I got into the station the metro guys were refilling the machines and there wasn't a 24hr saleperson. The machines take about a min to reboot when I heard that annoying lady saying, 'The next L train is now arriving on the Brooklyn bound track, please stand away from the platform edge'
I could die and the lady infront of me was putting coins in the other machine. I could hear the doors of the train opening. If you live in NYC, you know the sound I am talking about and you know the amount of time it will stay open until it closes and the train would leave the station. My heart dropped! She was done and she rushed down the stairs and unto the train (or at least that's what I thought). Out of nowhere I heard her yelling saying, ' I will hold the train for you hurry up, don't worry I am holding it.' Music to my ear. So I filled up my card rushed down the stairs and told her to keep holding because there was another lady behind me. We all made the train. What seems like hours was probably a mere, adrenaline rush filled second. I made it home before 3am. Because I caught that train, I was right intime to connect to the G.
Whew!
I mean let's face it. Most of the people that live around here, are not from around here, and we bring with us to this wonderful city our self value, generosity and self worth.
As always,
Sleepless.
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